Speaking of eBay

A very good friend of my oldest daughter recently purchased on eBay for the first time. She and her significant other hand blow amazing glassware items and found a piece of equipment they needed at a great price. Isn't this what eBay is all about.

She won the auction and the seller would only accept checks.... so they paid by check, over $1,500. 2 weeks pass and no item so she contacts the seller and was informed that "she had to order the equipment."

3 weeks later she receives notification that the equipment came with additional parts and the price would be more. Our friend argued that they already had the other parts and did not need those, only the equipment originally bid on and paid for.

The seller then files a non-payment claim with eBay!!!! So B. sent the crazy loon seller the extra money for the parts she doesn't need.

The item and all parts finally arrive over a month later yet the non-payment claim is still appearing. B finds a phone number for eBay and a human (wonder of wonders) sends them a photo along with all email correspondence and they remove the non-payment claim. But the seller has left her bad feedback.

It appears to me that the seller is running an extortion racket and not only should be banned from eBay but have criminal charges filed against them.

Granted, B should never have bid on this item for this amount of money with the seller not accepting Paypal or a credit card. To me this just reeks of scam or shady dealings.

Our friend B. is turning all contact information over to me for me to get involved in this matter and I do plan on contacting the authorities.

I think that I might just start my Wall of Shame with this jerk. Anyone that would take advantage in such a way needs to be shut down atleast temporarily. I abhor people that take advantage of others.

Karma comes back on you threefold........

eBay and Non-Payors.... I have had it

I have been buying and selling on eBay for 10 years. Granted, in the past 5 years or so I do more buying than selling because it is generally less of a hassle and because I have my online antique shop. Yet, recently I listed a few items of teen clothing and children's VHS tapes that I had picked up for my teenage daughter and grandaughter. I also listed a few items I had not posted in the shop such as an Eric Clapton store display and some sports items.

Of course, the teen hated the clothes and the wee one had the tapes already.

Several items of clothing sold and one of the Magic School Bus tapes as did some of the antique things. Everyone paid or atleast made contact with me that they were going to send payment, which they have all done.... except for one person.

I have got more "Terms and Conditions" on my auctions than you would believe. One of which is, "by bidding on this item you are entering into a contract to buy this item if you are the winning bidder."

Well, little Miss 13 feedback has decided that she just isn't going to pay for her $4.00 name brand shirt. She is going to break this contract.I, on the other hand will have to pay eBay because of her decision. It will cost me about $2.89. In the grand scheme of things this is not a lot of money but at this point it is the principal. Everytime I put items up for auction I have atleast 1 person that doesn't pay for their item so I eat their violation of the TOS.

This time I have decided that I will send the violator a bill everyday through Paypal. Each day I will add 28% interest to the amount. Her only option will be to change her email address. I will leave negative feedback on eBay for her and I will file the non-payor claim ... which means crapola.

I am also going to change my future auctions so that no one with feedback under 25 can bid on my auctions. It seems that only those with a low feedback score tend to not pay for their auctions. At this point in time I don't see eBay auctions in my future.

I only hope that I don't end up being the one that gets in trouble for this but she has broken a contract with me and I am doing what I can to recoup damages and expenses.

I am also going to create an online auction function on my website. I will be no competition for eBay but it will make me feel better. Non-payors will have their names, email addresses and other personal information posted for all to see.... just like retailer's post returned checks.

If you can't play by the rules, then don't play at all.

Memories....

You have got to read some of the memories of heirlooms and childhood that have been submitted by visitor's and customer's to my antique shop website.

We are slow in getting started but I LOVE the few comments that have been contributed.

Please take a moment and visit and please submit a comment with your favorite memory of growing up, your Granny's favorite perfume, Sunday supper, the bowl that was always used for mashed potatoes or fruit salad... whatever it is. It gives you a good feeling to think back and reflect on these wonderful memories.

Antique Memories